My gray is starting to be a bit depressing.

it seems as though my hair is turning more and more gray everyday. i have vowed not to color it because the last time i did it damaged my hair badly. i've tried rinses and semi-perm color, but it never lasts long enough to be worth the trouble. i want to be happy about this new stage of my life, but because i wear my hair naturally it looks like i have hundreds of live wires all through my hair. and to make matter worse they are in varying stages of gray or grayish. what a bummer. i'm open to any suggestions, other than permanent color, that might help mask or even brighten my morphing locks. thanks for the rant! lol~

I feel the same way.... Every day a new one or more.. Sigh.... I've been using Preference by L'oreal and it works fine for the little hair I have left.. Lol. But I really have no clue how to mask grey hair but I did find this link.. And it seemed to have a few ideas that might help... Hair Mascara -- How to Mask Your Gray Strands

I'd say go buy a new pair of shoes but I thought I read you were on a no buy...

I am an advocate for permanent colouring - I would most likely be all grey if I stopped. The only thing that you might want to try is hena. But I think that if you do put hena on your hair, then conventional dyes - demi or permanent don't take very well later on.

I wonder if dye for men's beards, that covers greys, if that would last longer than a normal demi?

I'm curious if you had your hair dyed professionally when it was damaged?

Did you have a relaxer in your hair or do you know why it turned out badly?

I can't really offer much advice to you, just here for moral support! But I did want to tell you that my boyfriend just discovered the first gray hair in my head last week! I'm in my early 20's, so I was shocked, to say the least. However, the boyfriend got excited and called it "regal," lol.

I know what you mean about the different textures, because that one strand hardly curls and sticks out like a sore thumb! Other than that, I think gray hair is gorgeous. I'm in awe when I see a beautiful woman confidently sporting a beautiful head of platinum hair. I know that I can't fully understand, since I only have one strand (as of today ), but I'm sure you'll become comfortable with it later down the line, and I'm sure you'll look as beautiful as ever!

I feel your pain. I found my first grey hair when I was seventeen and I wish I could say that I never found anymore. I love seeing a confident woman with a nice sprinkling or a full head of grey hair.

I've tried letting my hair grey gracefully but I'm so over that.

I'm sorry that I don't have any recommendations for you though.

I think by now everyone knows I am a strong advocate for Sally Beauty for pretty much any hair problem one may have. Since you don't want to use dye, Shimmer Lights shampoo and conditioner will help the gray hairs brighten up, and take any yellow that's in it out. And don't feel bad about them coming in. I'll be 22 in less than 2 weeks and a couple of weeks ago I discovered that I am getting way more than a few grays myself.

Originally Posted by Karren_Hutton /img/forum/go_quote.gif I feel the same way.... Every day a new one or more.. Sigh.... I've been using Preference by L'oreal and it works fine for the little hair I have left.. Lol. But I really have no clue how to mask grey hair but I did find this link.. And it seemed to have a few ideas that might help... Hair Mascara -- How to Mask Your Gray Strands
I'd say go buy a new pair of shoes but I thought I read you were on a no buy...

cruel and unusual punishment, karren (but i have to admit i was tempted!). lol~ thanks for the link!

Originally Posted by Carolyn /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wonder if dye for men's beards, that covers greys, if that would last longer than a normal demi?
I'm curious if you had your hair dyed professionally when it was damaged?

Did you have a relaxer in your hair or do you know why it turned out badly?

i did it myself at home. i loved the color at first, but over time it turned really red (like a firey auburn) and still have a bit on the ends. i guess damage might be too strong a word. i don't care for the texture. it feels kind of crunchy. it's not breaking off, though. just hard to keep under control. i might just try that "just for men" idea. thanks for the rec!

Originally Posted by alicia8406 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I can't really offer much advice to you, just here for moral support! But I did want to tell you that my boyfriend just discovered the first gray hair in my head last week! I'm in my early 20's, so I was shocked, to say the least. However, the boyfriend got excited and called it "regal," lol.
I know what you mean about the different textures, because that one strand hardly curls and sticks out like a sore thumb! Other than that, I think gray hair is gorgeous. I'm in awe when I see a beautiful woman confidently sporting a beautiful head of platinum hair. I know that I can't fully understand, since I only have one strand (as of today ), but I'm sure you'll become comfortable with it later down the line, and I'm sure you'll look as beautiful as ever!

leelee, you are a sweetie! thanks so much! did you like the live wire analogy? lol~ it's like these suckers have a mind of their own!

Originally Posted by oobladi /img/forum/go_quote.gif I feel your pain. I found my first grey hair when I was seventeen and I wish I could say that I never found anymore. I love seeing a confident woman with a nice sprinkling or a full head of grey hair.
I've tried letting my hair grey gracefully but I'm so over that.

I'm sorry that I don't have any recommendations for you though.

i love your attitude about the whole thing, oobladi! maybe i just need to get with the program!

Originally Posted by KatJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think by now everyone knows I am a strong advocate for Sally Beauty for pretty much any hair problem one may have. Since you don't want to use dye, Shimmer Lights shampoo and conditioner will help the gray hairs brighten up, and take any yellow that's in it out. And don't feel bad about them coming in. I'll be 22 in less than 2 weeks and a couple of weeks ago I discovered that I am getting way more than a few grays myself. kat, you always have great hair advice! thank you so much. i don't do shampoo, but the shimmer lights conditioner sounds like a great place to start! i'll let you know how it works!

I've used the just for men hair color and that's why I switched to womens hair color.. Lol. Actually it was my wifes idea.... "You look old,, here use this!!". Ahhh. Thanks..... I dint feel old till you brought it up!! Sigh........ If you had a little grey patch to cover then the mens would work good but mine was all over.. And it was expensive!! Go figure that one out!! They put womens hair coloring on sale all the time but not the mens.. Volume discount thing I figure...

Now I'm depressed too.. Think I'll go out and buy some new shoes!!!

Originally Posted by Karren_Hutton /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've used the just for men hair color and that's why I switched to womens hair color.. Lol. Actually it was my wifes idea.... "You look old,, here use this!!". Ahhh. Thanks..... I dint feel old till you brought it up!! Sigh........ If you had a little grey patch to cover then the mens would work good but mine was all over.. And it was expensive!! Go figure that one out!! They put womens hair coloring on sale all the time but not the mens.. Volume discount thing I figure...
Now I'm depressed too.. Think I'll go out and buy some new shoes!!!

see, retail therapy really does work! pick up a pair for me too!

LOL @ ya'll and your retail therapy. I'm feeling a little low, so either this weekend, or next for my birthday, we're going to Hooters. Curly fries were my favorite food when I was little, so Hooters makes me happy .

You're very welcome Monnie! I hope you can find something you like soon.

i knew you said you weren't interested in dyes, but i always help my mom dye her hair with an asian product called "seven-eight" which only takes between 7-8 minutes to dye hair. it is made to target gray hairs and add color. i apply it for my mom every few months or so and it has never damaged her hair. heres more info if you were interested..

Schwarzkopf & Henkel | PAON SEVEN-EIGHT HAIR COLOR

Originally Posted by Karren_Hutton /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've used the just for men hair color and that's why I switched to womens hair color.. Lol. Actually it was my wifes idea.... "You look old,, here use this!!". Ahhh. Thanks..... I dint feel old till you brought it up!! Sigh........ If you had a little grey patch to cover then the mens would work good but mine was all over.. And it was expensive!! Go figure that one out!! They put womens hair coloring on sale all the time but not the mens.. Volume discount thing I figure...
Now I'm depressed too.. Think I'll go out and buy some new shoes!!!

My fiancee uses Just for men and it doesnt work very well. He has it all over as well, not full gray just a lot of gray hairs all over. Maybe I can gently tell him I can get him some womens. I dont care if he has gray hair, but if he is going to bother with dying it, it might as well work! I used to use permanent, but over time it looked brassy. I now just highlight my hair in a salon and since my hair is light brown, the dark blond highlights cover it. No one can tell what is gray or highlights except me.

ooh there are some good ideas in here. I'm also just here for moral support, lol.

I quite like a full head of grey hair - I think it can look quite stylish actually!

I think what looks worst is when there is heaps of grey growing out and you can tell that they colour and its like eek it would look better natural

But hey, what do I know? it's not something that I have to deal with yet, so I probably have no idea what I'm talking about, LOL

best of luck monnie! im sure you'll look gorgeous, dyed or not

Originally Posted by x33cupcake /img/forum/go_quote.gif i knew you said you weren't interested in dyes, but i always help my mom dye her hair with an asian product called "seven-eight" which only takes between 7-8 minutes to dye hair. it is made to target gray hairs and add color. i apply it for my mom every few months or so and it has never damaged her hair. heres more info if you were interested..
Schwarzkopf & Henkel | PAON SEVEN-EIGHT HAIR COLOR

wow! this looks really good. i like the fact that it's meant to cover heavy gray. couldn't tell whether it's perm or not, though. i'll do some homework on it! thanks for the link, cupcake!

Originally Posted by pinksugar /img/forum/go_quote.gif ooh there are some good ideas in here. I'm also just here for moral support, lol.I quite like a full head of grey hair - I think it can look quite stylish actually!

I think what looks worst is when there is heaps of grey growing out and you can tell that they colour and its like eek it would look better natural

But hey, what do I know? it's not something that I have to deal with yet, so I probably have no idea what I'm talking about, LOL

best of luck monnie! im sure you'll look gorgeous, dyed or not

you're a doll! thanks rosie! i'm thinking that i just need to get used to it being gray. i have a silver patch right in the front of my head where i part my hair. i'm pretty sure that nothing but a perm color is going to cover that.

i have something to share about my hair that made me laugh. this past weekend my family had its annual picnic. i wore some plaid bermuda shorts, a vintage run-d-mc t-shirt and some nine west mule wedges (i don't even wear flats to the park!). i work out almost everyday, so i look pretty good (i think! lol~). this guy comes up to me and says "hey sexy". i play it off and keep getting my gas. then he says "you look really good for your age". i didn't know whether to be pissed off or laugh. i immediately thought it must be my hair! the thing that got me was that he had no idea how old i am! i wanted to ask "how old do i look?", but that would have been just asking for trouble, i know. you know, now that i've told this story, it's not as funny as i thought... lmao~

Bigen is a permanent powder hair color. Its is ammonia-free and has no hydrogen peroxide, which means it wont damage your hair. I tried it once because I wanted a darker hair color. It made my hair really soft and Im thinking about coloring it again. You should give it a try! =]

I got mine at Sally's

You look good for your age???? Oh man, I would have been quick to ask him how old I looked! I hate when guys give you a compliment that makes you second guess yourself.

I learned something new last week about grey hair. As we age, our hair gets to a point where it loses pigmentation... Hence, grey hair. That's part of why it's so hard to color and keep colored, it has no pigmentation to hold on to. I only have a few greys, and their hidden, but I asked my stylist what I should do when it gets to a point I can't take it. She recommended a rinse, or semi-permanent color. The other stylist in the salon suggested those mascara wands. My only thing is it'll be hard to find a color close to my natural color. Hopefully I have a bit more time before I have to worry about it moreso than I do now!

Originally Posted by KatJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif You look good for your age???? Oh man, I would have been quick to ask him how old I looked! I hate when guys give you a compliment that makes you second guess yourself. yeah, i know exactly what you mean, kat. i wish he had just kept his trap closed!

Originally Posted by RnBqueen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Bigen is a permanent powder hair color. Its is ammonia-free and has no hydrogen peroxide, which means it wont damage your hair. I tried it once because I wanted a darker hair color. It made my hair really soft and Im thinking about coloring it again. You should give it a try! =]
I got mine at Sally's

i saw this in the beauty supply. it did look very interesting. i've never tried a powder color before.

Originally Posted by Aquilah /img/forum/go_quote.gif I learned something new last week about grey hair. As we age, our hair gets to a point where it loses pigmentation... Hence, grey hair. That's part of why it's so hard to color and keep colored, it has no pigmentation to hold on to. I only have a few greys, and their hidden, but I asked my stylist what I should do when it gets to a point I can't take it. She recommended a rinse, or semi-permanent color. The other stylist in the salon suggested those mascara wands. My only thing is it'll be hard to find a color close to my natural color. Hopefully I have a bit more time before I have to worry about it moreso than I do now! i thought about the mascara wand thing, but i sweat (the old menopause thing!) a lot and i can just see these streaks for color rolling down the side of my face and me being oblivious. lol~ not a good look! hahaha
i did pick up some dark and lovey semi perm color. it's supposed to last 6-8 washes and has 100% gray coverage. i went with a brownish red color. i plan to put it in this weekend. i'll try to post some pics! thanks everyone for your input and words on encouragement! *smooches*

Gray hair is wiry, coarse, colorless hair! Very hard to tame, it responds to hot oil treatments and deep conditioning. I have been relaxing and coloring my hair since I was 14, so I stay on top of things easily now. I do regular re-touches so I don't have the gray hairline. I only do the new growth initially, but after a few months I do a whole head application. You need lots of conditioning and hair pomades because that double process is damaging. All in all, it's worth it! I have used every dye from Bigen to Garnier (which I like a lot!). I wear my hair in a bun or curly updo and it really looks nice, black, slick, and shiny. It's a lot thinner than it was when I was younger, so my blowdry time is pretty quick now..

Originally Posted by SewAmazing /img/forum/go_quote.gif Gray hair is wiry, coarse, colorless hair! Very hard to tame, it responds to hot oil treatments and deep conditioning. I have been relaxing and coloring my hair since I was 14, so I stay on top of things easily now. I do regular re-touches so I don't have the gray hairline. I only do the new growth initially, but after a few months I do a whole head application. You need lots of conditioning and hair pomades because that double process is damaging. All in all, it's worth it! I have used every dye from Bigen to Garnier (which I like a lot!). I wear my hair in a bun or curly updo and it really looks nice, black, slick, and shiny. It's a lot thinner than it was when I was younger, so my blowdry time is pretty quick now.. i hear you! maybe it's the decision not to texturize anymore that's making my gray more unruly lately. my hair has been thinning over the years also, so i've gone the no perm, no heat route. i used to be a die hard perm girl. now i do the natural thing which means the hair pretty much has a mind of it's own these days. i do seem to be having some luck with products to control the unruliness lately, but it's still quite a challenge.